Ironbacked Dovahkiin
by TheDoc70r
Summary: Dragons have returned to Skyrim and the World Eater himself threatens to end the world. An unlikely Nords finds out that he is the legendary Dovahkiin and that it is his destiny to defeat the World Eater and save all of Nirn. May contain spoilers
1. Chapter 1

The carriage jolted as Bjorn opened his eyes slowly, dazed and confused. He lifted his hand to rub his eyes but found that his hands were bound together with leather bindings. He looked around and saw where he was. He was in Falkreath Hold, he'd been here many times with his father when he was young. Birds were chirping and going around doing their daily business and the woodland animals were running through the forest floors and climbing up the trees. The sun shone through the leaves and the branches were rattling together in the calm breeze.

"Hey you, you're finally awake" The man opposite of him said in a Nordic accent.

He had long blonde hair, the same colour and Bjorn's, and had a small trimmed beard.

"Mm barely" Bjorn replied in his thick Nordic accent.

"You were trying to cross the border right? Walked right into that Imperial ambush, same as us, and that thief over there" The man said, flicking his head to his side, signalling who he was talking about.  
Bjorn turned to his right and saw who the man was talking about. Seated to the man's left was a scrawny looking Nord. He had medium length brown hair that he combed backwards and his face was covered in dirt.

"Damn you Stormcloaks" The thief said. "Skyrim was fine until you came along, Empire was nice and lazy. If they hadn't been looking for you, I could've stolen that horse and been half way to Hammerfall."  
Great, Bjorn thought to himself. He despised thieves, they had no honour and integrity. The thief looked at Bjorn and addressed him.  
"You there, you and me, we shouldn't be here. It's these Stormcloaks the Empire wants." The thief said.  
"No, you should be here, you are a thief and deserve to be imprisoned. I, however, am innocent. But it's the will of the gods that I go to Sovngarde today." Bjorn snapped back.

"We're all brothers and sisters in binds now, thief." The man opposite him said under his breathe.

"Shut up back there!" The carriage driver yelled.

"What's wrong with him huh?" the thief said, pointing to the man that was sitting next to Bjorn.

The man next to Bjorn had medium length blonde hair and was gagged and bound.

"Watch your tongue! You're speaking to Ulfric Stormcloak, the True High King!" The man said

"Ulfric? The Jarl of Windhelm? You're the leader of the rebellion, but if they've captured you… oh gods! Where are they taking us?" The thief said, panic starting to raise inside him.

"I don't know where we're going, but Sovngarde awaits" The blonde man said.  
"What village are you from?" Bjorn asked the blonde man  
"I'm from Riverwood, and you?"

"Dragon Bridge." Bjorn replied. "And what of you, thief? Which village are you from?"

"Why do you care?" The thief snapped

"A Nord's last thoughts should be of home" The blonde man said calmly.

"Rorickstead, I'm…I'm from Rorickstead."

The cart was approaching the gate of a village that Bjorn had been to before but he couldn't recall the name, his mother was born here.

"What is your name friend?" The blonde man asked.

"Bjorn Ironback, and you?"

"Ralof."

The gates to the village opened at the command of what Bjorn heard to be a General. Bjorn bowed his head and said a pray to Talos in his head but was interrupted.  
"Shor, Mara, Dibella, Kynereth, Akatosh, Divines… please help me." The thief started to almost yell, panic laced through his words.

"Face your death with some courage, thief" Bjorn said, staring at the man.

"Look at him. General Tullius the military governor. And it looks like the Thalmor are with him too. Damn elves, I bet they had something to do with this." Ralof said.

Bjorn saw the Thalmor and scoffed under his breathe at them. He hated them with a passion, like most Nords. They outlawed the worship of Talos in all of Tamriel, claiming that he was only a man and not a God. How could they even suggest that he isn't a Divine? He ascended into God-hood from a man. He still worships Talos and prays to him every day.

"This is Helgen." Ralof said  
Helgen! Bjorn screamed in his head.

"I used to be sweet on a girl from here. Wonder If Vilod is still making that mead with Juniper berries mixed in. Funny, when I was a boy, Imperial walls and towers used to make me feel so safe." Ralof continued.

Bjorn looked behind him and saw a young boy, no older than seven, sitting on the porch wanting to watch the execution. He heard the boy's father tell him to go inside, good decision Bjorn thought. A child that age shouldn't see what is about to happen.

An Imperial captain started barking out orders to get the prisoners out of the cart and the cart came to a halt.  
"Why are we stopping?" The thief asked

"Why do you think?" Bjorn said

"End of the line." Ralof added. "Let's go, shouldn't keep the gods waiting for us."

They all began to stand up and get out of the cart one at a time.

"No wait! We're not rebels! You got to tell them, we weren't with you! This is a mistake!" The thief cried out.

"Step towards the block when we call your name" The Imperial Captain said sternly.

"Empire loves their damned lists." Ralof muttered.

One by one, the prisoners had their names called out and they stepped towards the block, excluding the thief. He thought he could get away and made a run for it. But Bjorn knew Imperial archers were well trained and he wasn't surprised when an arrow caught him in the back, dropping him to the ground dead. All the prisoners had gone except Bjorn.

"Wait, you there, step forward" The Nord next to the Imperial Captain said.

Bjorn did as he was told and stepped up to the Nord. He was the same height as Bjorn and looked about the same weight. He had medium length brown hair combed back and was clean shaven. He moved his quill up and down the page, searching for Bjorn's name.

"Who are you?" He said

"I am Bjorn Ironback." He replied

The Imperial soldier looked up and down his list one more time but still couldn't find his name.

"Captain, what should we do? He's not on the list." He said

"Forget the list, he goes to the block." She said sternly.

A look of sadness swept over the Nords face. Bjorn could tell that he Nord didn't like sending his kinsman to death for no reason, but it was his job and Bjorn couldn't hold that against him.

"By your orders, Captain." He said, then turned to Bjorn "I'm sorry, at least you'll die here, in your homeland."  
"I understand, you're just doing your job" Bjorn said, a smile managed to make its way onto his face and he nodded his head at the Nord as a sign of respect.

"Follow the Captain, prisoner" The Nord said.

Bjorn turned to face the Captain, who had spun on her heel and was now walking towards where all the Stormcloaks where gathered. When Bjorn got there, he saw Ulfric standing in front of who Bjorn thought was the General that Ralof was talking about.

"Ulfric Stormcloak" The General said, in an accent that Bjorn was unfamiliar with "Some here in Helgen call you a hero, but a hero doesn't use a power like the voice to murder his king and usurp his throne"

Bjorn had heard about that. Ulfric walked in and challenged High King Torryg to a duel in the tradition of the Nords. The High King accepted but was ultimately defeated, shouted apart if you believe the rumours. Bjorn didn't consider it murder, but he didn't consider it fair. The High King couldn't use the Voice and he hadn't been trained in its use like Ulfric was. And the King could never hope to defeat someone who could use the Voice.

Ulfric grunted at the General through his gag.

"You started this war! Plunged Skyrim into chaos! And now the Empire is going to put you down, and restore the peace!"

A terrible roar echoed loudly through Helgen, startling everyone there. There's no way that could've been a bear, Bjorn thought. He had heard bears roar and growl before. He looked in the skies to see if anything was there, but the sky was clear and blue.

"What was that?" The Imperial Nord asked

"It was nothing, carry on" The General said.

"Yes, General Tullius, give them their last rites" The Captain said to a priestess.

The priestess took place in front of everyone and raised her hands and started saying something. Bjorn wasn't listening, he was saying his own prayer to Talos.

"For the love of Talos, Shut up and let's get this over with!" a Stormcloak interrupted, walking up to the executioners block.

"As you wish" The priestess snapped back in a snarky tone.

"Come on! I haven't got all morning!" The Stormcloak yelled.

The Imperial Captain put her hand on his shoulder and pushed him to his knees, then using her foot, she pushed him onto the executioners block.

""My ancestors are smiling at me Imperials, can you say the same?" He said

The executioner raised his axe far above his head and then brought it down on the Stormcloaks next with the force of a bear. There was a large snapping sound and the Stormcloaks head fell into the basket and his body slowly slumped to the ground, lifeless.

"You Imperial Bastards!" A woman yelled

"Justice!" A man behind Bjorn yelled

"Death to the Stormcloaks!" A woman yelled

"As fearless in death, as he was in life" Ralof said quietly.

"Next! The Nord in the rags!" The captain yelled, pointing at Bjorn.

The roar echoed again, this time louder. Bjorn knew it wasn't a bear but what else could it be?

"There it is again, did you hear that?" The Nord next to the Captain said.

"I said next prisoner" The captain snapped

"To the block prisoner, nice and easy."

Bjorn took a deep breath and started to walk towards the block. He turned to face the block and saw the Nords face looking at him with sadness. Bjorn smiled at him before a hand on his shoulder forced him to his knees and a boot in his back pushed him onto the block. He started to breathe heavily and felt his heart racing. He closed his eyes and then heard the blood chilling roar again. When he opened his eyes he saw a big black shadow flying in the sky. The executioner was raising his axe when the creature thumped down onto the tower behind the executioner, driving him to the floor. Bjorn looked at the creature for a moment before he knew what it was. A dragon. As big as a house and as black as midnight. The dragon shouted and a storm brewed instantly, balls of fire dropping from the sky. Then it shouted again and sent Bjorn flying. Then his vision went black.


	2. Chapter 2

Bjorn's head was pounding and his ears were ringing. Balls of flaming rocks were falling all around him, one landed in front of him and exploded into many smaller rocks, one of which found its mark in Bjorn's shoulder. He felt himself being shaken wildly and a distorted voice yelling in his ears.

"Bjorn! Get up! Come with me!" He heard the voice say into his pounding head.

Eyes still a bit fuzzy, he looked up and saw Ralof shaking him by the shoulder. He picked Bjorn up by his arm and dragged him into a watch tower and laid him down on the floor. Bjorn stood up and looked around, his hands still bound somehow.

"Jarl Ulfric! What is that thing? Could the legends be true?" Ralof asked the man who had been sitting next to Bjorn on the cart.

His bounds were cut free and his gag had been removed. He stood taller than Ralof, probably as tall as Bjorn and he was also well built.

"Legends don't burn down villages" He said, in an accent as thick as Bjorn's. "We need to move! Now!"

"Up through the tower! Let's go!" Ralof said, turning to Bjorn. "Do you need help my friend?"

"Only with my bindings, I'm right to walk." He said

"I don't have a knife I'm sorry, I got loose from my bindings just before you were launched into the building"

Ralof helped him to his feet and started to run up the spiral staircase in the tower. He was still trying to take in the fact that the village was under attack by a dragon. Dragons had been seen since the Dragon War, and that was era's ago. Ralof and he were almost at the top of the keep when they saw a large pile of stone bricks in the way, and a Stormcloak trying to move.

"We just need to mo-"

The wall came crashing in onto him. Burying him under a large pile of heavy stones, killing him instantly. The force knocked Ralof off his feet and he fell backwards. Luckily Bjorn caught him and helped him regain his balance. When they looked up they saw the head of the dragon. It was black as night and his eyes were as red and blood. It had spikes running along the middle of its snout and the sides of its head.

"_Dovahkiin!_" The dragon seemed to say.

The Dragon tilted its head back and said something else that Bjorn didn't hear, then fire erupted from it's throat. Bjorn grabbed the scruff of the collar of Ralof's armour and yanked him back, avoiding the flames. He spun around and sat Ralof down on the stairs and crouched beside him to evade the flames. They seemed to have lasted at least ten minutes and they burned as hot as the Red Mountain. After the flames died out, the dragon flew off again and the two men got up and ran to the opening that the dragon had left.

"See the inn on the other side?" Ralof said pointing to the building in front of them. "Jump through the roof and keep going."

"Jump through the roof?! Are you mad?!" Bjorn exclaimed

"If you don't then you will die! Go! I will meet you when I can!" Ralof yelled "Good luck my friend!" he added, clapping Bjorn on the back.

"You too kinsman!" Bjorn replied.

He turned and looked at the distance he had to jump. It was at least a ten foot drop and was about the same distance away. He took a deep breath and readied himself.

"Talos preserve me" Then he took a run up and leapt.

He soared through the air and time seemed to slow down. He looked down to where he had to land and saw a large broken piece of wood poking out. This is my death, he thought to himself. The wood will impale me for sure and kill me right here. He started to panic and out of nowhere, as if his mouth had a mind of his own, he shouted.

His body went ethereal and he felt as light as a feather. He closed his eyes as his body was about to land on the piece of wood but instead of being impaled and dying, he felt himself roll on the hard wooden floor. He opened his eyes and saw that he was on the floor a few feet away from it. He looked at the wood, confused as to why he wasn't dead, then he looked down at his hands and saw that they were back to normal again. He pushed himself up instantly and ran forward towards a large hole in the floor that dropped downstairs and to the exit. He jumped down and left the inn.

"Haming! You need to get over here! Now!" A familiar voice yelled as he left the inn.

Bjorn looked forward and standing in front of him was the Nord Imperial that had been reading the list. A little boy, the one that wanted to watch the execution ran over to the Nord and hid behind him.

"Torolf! Gods! Everyone get back!" The Nord said

Not too far down the road was a man on the floor, shaking in pain and bleeding heavily. The dragon landed right behind him and roared. Fire erupted from its mouth again and encased the man in its searing heat. The Nord, the child and another old hid behind a ruined house with Bjorn until the dragon took off again.

"Still alive prisoner?" The Nord said in a shocked tone, "Stay close to me if you want to stay that way. Gunjar, take care of the boy, I need to go find General Tullius and join the defense!" He said to the old man.

"God's guide you Hadvar" The old man said

"Prisoner! With me!" He said and then ran out from behind the house.

Bjorn and Hadvar ran to where the man, Torolf, had been laying and found only a pile of ash. They ran down a back path and jumped down a ledge, clinging to the large stone wall until they came to a right turn where an Imperial was standing, then the dragon landed on the wall and breathed fire onto the Imperial.

When the dragon took off again, Hadvar pushed off the wall and ran past the Imperial's ashes, calling back to Bjorn to follow him. Bjorn quickly caught up and they wound their way through a ruined house until they came out the front and saw the General shooting arrows at the dragon with four other soldiers and two battle mages casting fireballs at it. The General saw Hadvar and barked an order at him.

"Hadvar! Into the Keep soldier, we're leaving!" The General yelled

"It's you and me prisoner, stay close!" Hadvar yelled over his shoulder.

They took a left turn and followed what appeared to be the main road. They went under an arch way and were in what looked like the courtyard for the keep. Bjorn and Hadvar ran towards the furthest door which led to the barracks when Bjorn saw Ralof looking up at the dragon.

"Ralof! Come with us!" Bjorn yelled.

Ralof turned around and saw Bjorn and Hadvar, who Ralof recognized. He looked reluctant at first but ran after Bjorn when the dragon swooped overhead. Hadvar saw Ralof but wasn't concerned about him at this point. He tried to open the door but found that it was locked.

"Pass me you're axe traitor!" Hadvar yelled

Ralof was about to protest but tossed his axe to Hadvar. Hadvar swung at the middle of the door where the lock was and broke it then kicked the door in. He hurried Bjorn and Ralof in before slamming the door shut behind him and bolting it closed. Safe, away from the dragon.

**A/N: **Sorry that the first two chapters were basically mirrors of the game. But from now on my story will take a twist from what you know in Skyrim. If you have any feedback please feel free to send me some! It will help me improve my story and in turn, improve the enjoyment that you get out of read it.

Thanks guys


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